Return to Me
by Angelus1
Summary: It had been over a year since she'd last seen him. Over a year since she'd left Seattle with Zack, Brynn, Tinga and Jace.
1. Chapter One

Title: Return To Me (1/8)  
  
Author: Angelus  
  
E-mail: angelus1317@hotmail.com (Please put "Return To Me" on the subject   
line.)  
  
Subject: Dark Angel  
  
Category: MLR, A  
  
Rating: G  
  
Summary: It had been over a year since she'd last seen him; over a year   
since she'd left Seattle with Zack, Brynn, Tinga, and Jace.  
  
Spoilers: BBWW  
  
Archive: Anywhere, just ask me first.  
  
Disclaimer: Max, Logan, ect are the property of James Cameron, Charles Eglee,   
Cameron-Eglee Productions, and the Fox network. I don't own them. But I'd   
like to own Logan - does that count?! They are used here without permission   
(big surprise), so don't sue.  
  
Author's Notes: Well, this first part was written in the course of forty-five minutes,   
and I'm very proud of it. But the rest was only written because there was no   
possible way I could leave it as a stand-alone. I'm not quite sure how well the   
rest of it flows, but I have no beta, and I am very bad at judging my own work.   
If anyone is interested in becoming (and, in turn, recieving) a beta, please let   
me know. I'm happy to recieve reviews, and I try to respond to all of them that   
I possibly can, so keep 'em coming. But for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy!  
  
Secondary Author's Notes (written by a very tired, cranky Angelus at three a.m. on the day that the final chapter was written): I apologize that it took me this long, and I also apologize for any typos or consistency errors, but it's three am for Christ's sake!!!!!!!!  
  
Dedication: To Eliana, who lives in Allentown, which is far from dreary and   
nondescript. Thank you for being such a good friend, 'Lina. I hope to see you   
up here this summer!  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"What find out at the airstrip last night?" "That when some girls don't eat   
dinner, they get really cranky?" - Matt and Logan, "Out"  
  
******************************************************************************   
  
It had been over a year since she'd last seen him; over a year since she'd   
left Seattle with Zack, Brynn, Tinga, and Jace; over a year since the five of   
them had settled in the dreary, nondescript Allentown, Pennsylvania.  
  
She missed him more every day. They had contacted Jace's boyfriend, who   
escaped from Manticore just as they had done to be with his beloved   
girlfriend. Soon after, she had given birth to a son (and named it Max, as   
promised). They had moved not too long ago. Then Jhondie found them, and   
Tinga and Brynn left, and they were back to the original Three Musketeers:   
Max, Zack, and Jhondie.  
  
She should be happy. She tried to remind herself of that daily. After years   
of searching, she finally had a family again; she had a place to call home,   
and a place to belong.  
  
But how could she be truly happy without the man she loved?  
  
Yes, loved. She had known she had loved him since just before that first kiss   
in front of his parents' cabin - since she realized that she might never see   
those gorgeous, coffee-brown eyes again; never hear that deep, sexy voice.  
  
She couldn't leave the others - not after she had just gotten them back.  
  
But those eyes...that voice...  
  
She would go quickly, quietly. They would never know until she was long gone.   
Maybe even back in Seattle; back in his arms.  
  
She left a note - a short little note that perfectly expressed everything she   
felt. What few belongings she had were stuffed in a small red duffel bag.   
Within half an hour she had pulled herself and her bike onto the back of a   
truck bound for Seattle. The thick, acrid smoke from the exhaust pipe tickled   
the inside of her nose, but she ignored it - because it was calm and quiet   
and she could think.  
  
She had left Seattle quickly, too, telling only Cindy and Kendra and Logan of   
her plans. Cindy and Kendra had cried and hugged her repeatedly, and she had   
marveled at how lucky she was to have friends like them; to have friends at   
all.  
  
Then, she had gone to say goodbye to Logan.  
  
Logan hadn't shed a tear. He had completely understood what she had to do,   
and had fully supported her decision - as always. It was his honest, caring   
expression that had driven her to tears.  
  
She didn't cry. Crying was weakness, they had told them. But it was allright to   
show weakness in front of Logan. He  
wouldn't punish her or think less of her.  
  
He hadn't said anything; he had simply held her, and let her cry. He had   
stroked her hair, and kissed her forehead, and whispered in her ear that   
everything would be allright.  
  
And it was - everything was always right when she was with him.  
  
Then Zack had honked the horn of the car, and it had been time to go. She   
had kissed him gently on the cheek, silently thanking him for everything that   
he had done for her, and had turned to go. But he had pulled her back, and  
placed his mouth upon her. It wasn't a sad, passionate kiss, as their first   
had been. Nor had it been teasing and playful, as their second; for this was   
their third. Their second had been on New Year's, when they had simply leaned  
in at the same time, and kissed; something like an old married couple would   
do - short, yet satisfying.  
  
But this kiss had been neither - it had been long and soft and sweet and   
romantic. That had sent the tears streaming even faster.  
  
He had squeezed her arms. "I'll miss you," he had said. She had nodded. And   
this time, she had left for good.  
  
Her fingers had been on the car door handle when she had felt someone   
watching her from behind. She had spun around and looked up to see him   
smiling sadly down at her from the window of his top-floor apartment.  
  
"I'll miss you, too," she had shouted. He had nodded back.  
  
And then she had turned her back on him. She had climbed in the car with her   
brother and her sisters. And they had driven away.  
  
And she hadn't looked back.  
  
Now, she couldn't believe that she's ever even considered leaving him in the   
first place. She could still see him in front of her - his spiky, dirty-blond   
hair; that adorable, ever-present stubble on his chin. She could smell him -   
his lemon shampoo, and a hundred different spices from all his time spent in   
the kitchen. And though it had been a long time, she could still remember how   
he had tasted - like breakfast cereal mingled with her own salty tears.  
  
She missed him more every day.  
  
She didn't sleep. But with thoughts and feelings and emotions running through   
her mind, sleep was the only solace for her tired, addled brain. She was   
happy; she was excited; she was nervous; she was scared. But right then and  
there, she was, above all, tired.  
  
And Max drifted off with a smile on her face and one word on her lips; the   
word that meant more to her than anything else in the world:  
  
"Logan..."  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
Questions? Comments? Praise? Flames? Constructive criticism? Logan clones?   
angelus1317@hotmail.com  
  
***************************************************************************** 


	2. Chapter Two

Return to Me (2/8)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
Dear Zack and Jhondie,   
  
I can't say how incredibly sorry I am to be doing this. You two are all I have left   
of my family. I can't expect you to forgive me for what I've done, but maybe   
this will help you understand why.  
  
We were raised as soldiers. All of us - me, you, Tinga, Jace, Brynn, Zane, Krit, Syl,   
Ben, Eva, and Gabe - we were supposed to be emotionless. No complications -   
don't think, don't feel; just kill.  
  
But the twelve of us, by ourselves, were able to form a bond. Especially   
between us three. We taught ourselves to love in a world where loving anyone   
or anything was the most dangerous thing that we could possibly do.  
  
I've had gotten on with my life since Manticore, and I had realized that   
learning to love was the most important thing we ever could have been   
taught there or anywhere. I took that precious ability and I used it, and it   
allowed me to be blessed with something I thought that I would never have -   
friends. Friends who didn't treat me like the teenage Frankenstein freak show   
that I am, but who accepted me, no questions asked, for the real me. As much   
as I've enjoyed this past year, I miss them.  
  
There is also someone else - a man that I love and care about who didn't   
deserve to be left behind like a disposable toy. I owe him so much, because   
without him, I would have never found either of you.  
  
The kind of love that I feel for Logan is different that what I feel for you two. He   
and my other friends can never replace you, but I have to be there for them,   
like they were for me.   
  
Please don't hate me for this. I love you both. I hope that you can let go of   
Manticore as I have, and maybe we'll see each other again someday. Until   
then, goodbye.  
  
All My Love Always,  
  
Max  
  
~*~  
  
Author's notes: First of all, let me clear a little something up - this is the letter that   
Max wrote to Zack and Jhondie, and I apologize for its lack of both length and   
quality. Gabe is the name I gave to the soldier that Zack accidentally killed   
when he was aiming for the raven. I have to admit that I'm kind of confused - I   
thought that it was said that twelve X-5's escaped from Manticore, but then in   
the season finale, Lydecker said something about "ten perfect soldiers". I'm   
probably wrong, but my assumption right now is that there were twelve X5's   
created, but that, as we know, both Eva and the boy who I have named   
Gabe were killed, and Lydecker was just referring to the ones that were   
remaining at the time of the escape. However, this being much later, I read on   
the DAOL website that Zack is not considered to be one of the original twelve   
that escaped, which just confuses me even more. So if anyone would like to set   
me straight on that, it would be much appreciated. Thank you! 


	3. Chapter Three

Return To Me (3/8)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
When Max awoke, she was immediately on guard. Her surroundings were   
unfamiliar and potentially threatening. The product of years of training, her   
soldier side kicked in, and her eyes darted quickly from side to side as she   
surveyed her present location. Her gaze fell upon her motorcycle propped up in   
the corner of an ancient cargo truck, and she remembered.  
  
Logan - she was going to see Logan.  
  
A smile crossed her face.   
  
After a few minutes, Max stood up to stretch her arm and leg muscles, sore   
from being forced into one cramped position after another for so long. No   
sooner had she raised herself up onto her knees than the back doors of the   
truck flew open and she came face-to-face with the owner of her   
illegally-hitched ride. He was a big guy. Not chubby, but tall and slender with  
broad shoulders and muscles that rivaled Bling's. His arms, exposed in the tight  
black T-shirt that he wore, were covered with tattoos; skulls and crossbones,   
roses, animals...you named it, this guy had it painted on him. He also sported  
rings in his nose, tongue, lip, eyebrow, ears, and probably a few other places   
that Max really didn't want to know about. He'd actually be quite   
good-looking despite having enough metal in his face to drive an airport   
scanner nuts if he wasn't currently acting as yet another barrier between   
herself and her goal.  
  
"What are you doing back here?" he demanded in a deep, booming voice. It   
was a voice whose tone spoke of power and authority that he did not possess.   
Nothing but a lowly truck driver, he reveled in this opportunity to boss around a   
young girl maybe half his size and age.  
  
But twice his strength. Normally, Max didn't strike civilians. But she was in no   
mood to argue with this decorated, piercing-adorned oaf of a man. Before he   
could get another word out, she slammed the heel of her hand into his head.  
He dropped silently to the ground, and Max stepped over his motionless body   
to exit the truck. He wasn't dead by any stretch, but he was going to have a   
nasty headache when he awoke in a few hours.  
  
Outside, the world was bright and beautiful. Max drew in a breath of fresh,   
clean air and turned her face, eyes closed in pleasure, toward the sun.  
  
She stretched her muscles as she had been trying to do before she was so   
rudely interrupted. Then she realized that she had no clue where the hell she   
was.  
  
She was at a gas station; she could discern that much by sight alone. Luckily,   
no one had spotted her attack on the truck driver. Yet another visual scan   
made her realize that that was probably because the back of the truck was   
facing away from the station's entrance. Out of sight from prying eyes, she   
pushed and pulled and heaved and shoved until she had the trucker's   
still-unconscious body lying in the back of his vehicle, next to her motorcycle.  
  
There was no one in the gas station save for its centuries-old owner, who   
informed her that she was in Nebraska. According to her watch, it was only   
three o'clock in the afternoon. The way Max figured, if she rode nonstop all day,   
she could reach Seattle before the sun rose. If she was both fast and lucky, she   
might even be cradled in Logan's warm embrace before that time came. The   
thought sent shivers of anticipation down her spine, but she forced her mind to   
focus on the task at hand.  
  
She thanked the ancient old man and exited the tiny, cramped building. It   
took mere seconds to unload her bike from the truck. In one smooth, fluid   
motion, she mounted it, straddling the seat between her thighs, revved up the   
engine, and she was gone.  
  
It wouldn't be long now.   
  
She rode steadily, never stopping or slowing down for anyone or anything.  
  
And with each passing mile, her heart beat faster. 


	4. Chapter Four

Return to Me (4/8)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
Author's Notes: Allright, I've been ignoring this story for awhile, so I'm a bit out of   
the loop as to the writing style. Let me try and get it back, and I'll hope that this   
chapter doesn't seem too different from the first three. Here goes nothing...  
  
~*~  
  
Max blinked rapidly, forcing herself to stay awake. She had been riding all day   
with no rest, and fighting sleep was getting harder by the minute. But Seattle   
and Logan were only a few short minutes away - so close she could feel his arms   
around her.  
  
The streets gradually became more and more familiar, until finally, she found   
herself passing her old apartment. She debated with herself for a few minutes as   
to whether she should go up and visit Cindy - if she was even there after all this   
time - first, or head straight to Logan's. Guilty as it made her feel, she would   
really rather see Logan right now. She kept riding.  
  
The apartment itself looked no different - from the outside, anyway. Fogle   
Towers was still one of the nicest buildings in the city. Max parked her bike in its   
old spot - next to Logan's Aztec, chained and padlocked to the handle of the   
car door.  
  
It was amazing, she marveled - even after all this time, it still looked right. It was   
as if she had never been gone.  
  
The sense of deja vu followed her all the way up the stairway to Logan's   
penthouse. Everything was the same - from the ancient old man at the front   
desk to the annoying elevator music. It even smelled the same.  
  
Almost as if it had been waiting for her.  
  
She wondered if Logan had been waiting for her.  
  
At the door, she paused. Should she knock or pick the lock?  
  
She picked the lock.  
  
And as she walked in, she murmured to herself:   
  
"I'm home."  
  
She had assumed that Logan would be asleep like any normal person would be   
at this hour. But there he stood, the outline of his body framed in the pale   
moonlight streaming through the curtained window. She stood, frozen in place,   
unable to move for fear that she might disrupt this little dreamscape and make   
him disappear forever.  
  
He spoke.  
  
"From the day that I first saw you, I was captivated by your breathtaking   
beauty. Never had I seen a woman so gorgeous. And to top it off, you were   
smart, witty, and fun to be around. Back then, I was blinded and deluded by   
my own arrogance; I had always believed that I could get anything I wanted.   
I wanted you. And I was determined to have you."  
  
Max was unsure as to whether Logan knew she was in the room or not. He   
faced the city outside, never turning around, but spoke as if she were right in   
front of him. Never had she heard such romantic, poetic words, much less   
directed towards herself. And it was then that every mere shadow of a doubt   
disappeared; she loved him unconditionally, no matter what had changed   
since she had been gone.  
  
He continued his monologue.  
  
"When they put me in that goddamned wheelchair, you became more than   
just a pretty face; you became my friend. And from there, I fell in love with you.   
It wasn't hard to do. I tried everything I could to get out of the chair. And   
though I told myself that I was only doing it for myself, I knew the truth - it was   
all for you. I wanted out so that you would think more of me as a man. I realize   
now that I was wrong because, selfish as it sounds, I knew you loved me, too,   
chair or no chair. That was just how you were. But I wanted it anyway. And as   
soon as I was free, you were gone. Just gone. I should've told you then, but I   
didn't. But now you're back. And I'm determined not to let another minute go   
by without telling you face-to-face."  
  
He turned to face her then; not just his head, but his whole body. His eyes met   
hers.  
  
"I love you, Max Guevara," Logan stated simply. "You are honestly the only   
reason I didn't kill myself the second I was back in that chair. I can't live without   
you, Max, and I'm don't know how I survived this past year. Please don't ever   
leave me again."  
  
He was crying now. Not bawling, but there were tears glistening in the corners   
of his eyes. He sounded like a lost little boy, and Max could no longer suppress   
the needy, urging desire to reach out and touch him.  
  
She wrapped her arms around Logan's waist and held him close. He stroked her   
hair, murmuring over and over again that he loved her.  
  
When his tears had subsided, Max found that her face, as well, was wet. They   
were reluctant to break apart. Arms still around one another, they pulled back   
only enough so that their eyes met.  
  
"I love you, too," Max whispered. Logan's hand moved to cup her cheek,   
drawing her to him for a kiss. Their lips met, briefly, and then they pulled away   
once more. Max turned to face the window, and Logan did the same.  
  
Their arms still remained around one another.  
  
And they watched the sun rise on the beginning of a new day and a new life. 


	5. Chapter Five

Return to Me (5/8)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
Later - hours later - Max sat on the couch beside Logan, wrapped in one of his   
bathrobes, which was about five sizes too big for her. Underneath it, she had on   
an equally big T-shirt and pair of boxers - also Logan's. In her hands she held a   
gigantic cup of coffee. She sipped happily in between recounting the events of  
the past year to Logan.  
  
"So what made you come back?" he asked finally. She smiled at him.  
  
"You," she said. "Don't you know that by now? I missed you. I couldn't live   
without you any more than you could live without me."  
  
"But...what about your siblings? How could you leave all of them?"  
  
"Logan, there are two different types of love. Zack and Jhondie I love without a   
doubt. They know that, and I enjoyed the time that I was able to spend with   
them. But sticking together was dangerous. And you...I couldn't stay away   
forever knowing that I had never told you how I felt."  
  
"It would've been okay," Logan whispered, cupping Max's cheek in his hand. "I   
knew."  
  
"You thought. Feelings are something that you can never be positive about   
about a person unless you hear the words come from their own mouth. I guess I   
wanted that confirmation from you, and I wanted to give you the same in   
return."  
  
"That's what telephones are for, Max."  
  
"Phones can be tapped - too risky."  
  
"Coming back here was even riskier."  
  
"But getting to see you again made it all worth it." Max reached over to take   
Logan's hand with a smile.  
  
"You're sure?" he inquired. "It's worth possibly never seeing them again?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She couldn't bear to tell him that she was lying, but he knew. So when she   
leaned over to kiss him, he didn't push her away. It was their fifth kiss, and it was   
nowhere close in comparison to the first four. This kiss was hungry and   
desperate. Tongues got involved again, for the first time since the car.  
  
Logan stood from the couch and, Max held tightly in his arms, entered the   
bedroom. There, they made wild, passionate love into all hours of the night. But   
it was bittersweet, for they both realized that their time together was limited,   
and grew shorter by the minute.   
  
Suffice to say, they made the most of it.  
  
And they fell asleep, sweaty and exhausted; limbs entwined, hearts in tune. 


	6. Chapter Six

Return to Me (6/8)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
Logan dreamed.  
  
He stood in an empty field. Why was it that all dreams occurred in a field? He   
walked around a bit. There was nothing special about it; it was just an ordinary   
field.  
  
Why am I here? he wondered. Just then, he heard a noise behind him. He   
spun around to see a young girl with short black hair regarding him warily.  
  
"Hi," Logan said easily, trying not to scare the girl away. "What's your name?"  
  
"Max," she said. Logan realized with a start that this was the same little girl he   
had seen in the pictures that had been sent to him. He was looking at a   
ten-year-old version of the woman he loved.  
  
"You're Logan," the girl stated.  
  
"How did you know that?"  
  
The barest hint of a smile passed over her face. "I've always known," she told   
him. Little Max stepped aside. Behind her was a small door. She opened it. On   
the other side, there was nothing but the golden, waist-high grass that they   
swam in now.  
  
"That doesn't go anywhere," Logan pointed out.  
  
"Of course it does. Come through."  
  
"Can't you see? It's just grass."  
  
"You have to walk through," Little Max insisted stubbornly."  
  
"But I won't fit - it's too small."  
  
Little Max held out one tiny, fragile hand. "Do you trust me?" she asked, dark   
eyes wide with the innocence and vulnerability that his Max never showed.  
  
"Always," he whispered, blinking back tears. This time, Little Max did smile. And   
she pulled him through the door.  
  
Like she promised, he did fit, and there was something else on the other side.   
Wherever they were, it was dark., Logan blinked a few times, his eyes needing   
time to adjust from the harsh, blinding sunlight of the field. It was then that he  
realized that they were in *his* room. He glanced over at Little Max, still smiling   
and clutching his hand.  
  
Then something happened. Little Max grew and developed and morphed into   
*his* Max right before Logan's very own eyes, which widened as the   
transformation was complete. There she was, looking beautiful as ever, wearing   
a dark red evening gown in place of Little Max's jeans and plaid shirt. She smiled   
mysteriously, but did not utter a word just yet, instead, she raised her left hand   
and snapped. Hundreds of candles burst into flames, illuminating the room.   
With the same hand, she directed his attention to the bed.  
  
There they were - Max and Logan. Their second selves were actively pursuing   
the pleasure that one another's bodies offered them, as had the real Max and   
Logan had been doing just minutes before.  
  
"Looks like fun, doesn't it?" Max asked. When Logan didn't answer, she continued   
talking anyway. "Now it's our turn." She took his hand as Little Max had done   
and led him out the door. But instead of opening into the hallway as it was   
supposed to, Logan found himself in a room identical to the one he had just left,   
except that the bed was empty. Max sat down on the edge of it and   
motioned for Logan to sit beside her.  
  
The second he was down, she was back up, but indicated for him to stay where   
he was. Before he could understand what was happening, Max had undone   
the zipped of her dress, letting it drop to the floor. It pooled around her bare   
feet, reminding Logan of a puddle of blood. His eyes followed the shapely curve   
of her calf and thigh, and he realized that she had nothing on under the gown;   
she was completely nude.  
  
Max straddled Logan and began planting kisses all over his body. But as good   
as it felt, he had to know what was happening. He tore his lips away from hers   
and pushed her away.  
  
"Max, what's going on?" he asked. She smiled down at him, the candlelight   
casting an eerie glow on her skin.  
  
"Just relax," she whispered. "We have all the time in the world."  
  
A strange feeling of calmness overcame Logan. It was as if someone or   
something had whispered in his ear that everything would be allright. Max   
waved a hand as she had done with the candles, and they were both   
undressed. Logan responded this time, crushing her to his chest and thrusting   
into her as hard as he possibly could. Within minutes, they were almost there. So   
close...  
  
And there was a knock at the door. The dark room melted away and   
disappeared, replaced by Max's brightly lit apartment. They were both   
completely dressed now, and sitting on opposite sides of the room. Max rose   
from her chair to answer to answer the door. Logan tried to stand and follow   
her, but he couldn't. Looking down at his immobile legs in surprise, he saw that   
he was in his wheelchair.  
  
With no other choice, he wheeled over to the door and watched as Max   
opened it to reveal Zack standing on the other side. He held out one hand to   
her.  
  
"Are you ready to go, baby sister?" he asked. With a nod, Max took his hand.  
  
"No, Max! Don't leave me!" Logan cried. But it was in vain - Max couldn't hear   
him. He screamed and screamed until his throat was raw, but Max simply stood,   
holding hands with the man who called himself her brother. When Logan   
stopped shouting, Zack looked directly at him.  
  
"She belongs with me," he said. And Logan nodded, knowing deep down in his   
heart that it was true. So the dream Max walked away with Zack, and the door   
to Logan's apartment slammed closed. He wouldn't cry, he promised himself. He   
just sat and glared at the closed door, while Valse Triste played somewhere in   
the background.  
  
Logan awoke next to his beloved, remembrance of his dream haunting him,   
and he knew what he had to do. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Return to Me (7/8)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
Author's Notes: The real Drew is extremely hot. Right, Eliana? Just thought I'd   
share. Hackums, cave speak, saltwater taffy, & Scooby boxers.  
  
~*~  
  
Max awoke and rolled over, expecting to find Logan in bed beside her. But she   
felt nothing. The other side of the bed was cold, in fact. She opened her eyes.  
  
Logan was not in the room. She called out to him, but he didn't answer. There   
was no sound at all in the apartment as far as she could tell.  
  
With a worried frown, she pulled on her underwear and the light blue polo shirt   
that Logan had been wearing the night before and headed into the kitchen to   
look for him there.  
  
He wasn't in the kitchen. But from there, she spotted something on the coffee   
table that hadn't been there yesterday morning. Closer inspection revealed   
that it was a letter, addressed to her in Logan's familiar scrawl.  
  
She bit her lip, scared to know what the letter contained. She debated   
whether or not to open it, and decided to postpone it until she was *positive*   
that Logan wasn't in the apartment.  
  
That only took a few minutes. Logan's place was big, but there weren't that   
many hiding places. If she had found him camping out in a bathroom or closet,   
she might have assumed that he was waiting to show himself after she had   
read the letter, which would probably mean that it contained something   
good. But now that he had left, there was no telling what it was about. And   
that scared her to death.  
  
Max sat down on the couch that she had just left moments ago and, taking a   
deep breath, ripped open the letter.  
  
It was short and didn't take long to read, but had Max crying by the end of it.   
She reread it over and over again. She picked up the envelope and dumped it   
out. Inside was Logan's mother's locket. She slipped it over her head and stood   
to exit the room.  
  
Back in Logan's bedroom, she pulled on her leather pants. She stuffed her shirt in   
her bag, but left Logan's on. If she turned her head to the side slightly, she could   
smell him in the fabric. The odor was comforting - it made her feel safe.  
  
There wasn't much else to do. Her clothes were really the only personal items   
that she had. She had a little bit of money, but Logan had given her a credit   
card in the envelope as well with ten grand on it. Max was reluctant to spend   
it, but it seemed like the only choice she had.   
  
Just two days ago, she had thought that she was finished running. But here she   
was, out on the road again.  
  
And only then did she let the tears stream down her cheeks.  
  
She mentally berated herself. This was no time to fall apart. She just had to get   
out of Seattle and everything would be allright. Tomorrow, she would be back   
where she belonged - with the brother and sister that had risked everything to   
be with her.  
  
Her mind believed it. So why didn't her heart?  
  
The airport was crowded. Not what Max would've expected on a weekday   
morning, but the crowd made her more comfortable. It helped her to blend in.   
She felt as if she was one of these other normal people without a care in the   
world.  
  
The lines seemed endless to Max, but she waited them out impatiently,   
tapping her foot and sighing. Pretty soon, some people turned to stare, but   
Max didn't care. All that mattered right now was getting the hell out of this   
miserable, broken city. Not that Allentown was much better. But at least there,   
everything didn't remind her of Logan.  
  
Here, it still did. This was the same airport that they had come to to stop the   
Rockwell painting from being stolen. And later, they had headed back to his   
apartment, and he had told her that he thought she was beautiful. She smiled   
to herself at the memory.  
  
Finally, Max reached the front of the line. And finally, before anything or anyone   
could change her mind, she bought a plane ticket to Allentown, Pennsylvania.   
She stared at it, sitting there in her hand, for a few moments, until several   
annoyed voices from behind told her to move.   
  
She moved.  
  
As she walked to the terminal, she couldn't stop the fantasies that ran through   
her head. All of them included Logan running after her, convincing her that she   
was making a terrible mistake, and pressing his lips against hers in an urgent   
plea for her to stay. But she knew that they were only fantasies. From now on, all   
she had was family.  
  
At the gate, Max paused. She threw one last glance over her shoulder and,   
seeing no familiar blonde head in the milling crowd, handed the stewardess her   
ticket.  
  
She boarded the plane.  
  
Her ticket told her that she had a window seat in the first aisle. It was one of the   
ones that faced the wrong way so that you felt as if you were going   
backwards, and were forced to look at the person across from you. Right now,   
the seat was empty.  
  
Max stuffed her duffel bag under her seat and carefully removed Logan's letter   
from her pocket. Slipping it out of its envelope and unfolding it, she reread it for   
about the fifth time that day. But this time when the tears began to spill down   
her cheeks, she angrily brushed them away. She had already allowed herself the   
luxury of crying one too many times in the past few days. Now it was back to   
the old Max - the one who never showed emotion, no matter what the   
situation.  
  
"Are you okay, miss?" asked a deep voice. Max looked up to see a good-looking,   
dark-haired young man take the seat across from her.  
  
"No, I'm fine," she assured him with a watery smile. The plane lurched into   
action just then, and passengers all around scrambled to fasten their seatbelts   
and prepare themselves for takeoff.   
  
Max remained motionless.  
  
They were up in the air within moments. Max twisted to look out the window.   
Fog and clouds obscured her view. But if she squinted enough, she could almost   
convince herself that she saw Logan's apartment building in the distance.  
  
*Goodbye Logan,* she thought, pressing her palm to the cool glass. *I will   
always love you, and I will never forget you.*  
  
"So," commented the handsome stranger across from her. "It looks like we have   
a long ride ahead of us. I'm Andrew, by the way. Call me Drew." He held out a   
hand for her to shake.  
  
"Max."  
  
"Well. The boredom is looking better by the second."  
  
They smiled at one another.  
  
And Max inconspicuously raised the plastic cup of soda the stewardess handed   
her in a silent toast to the third time in the past few days she had started over.  
  
As Drew said, things were looking better by the minute.  
  
Rubbing the locket, she smiled.  
  
In a small, hole-in-the wall cafe on the other side of town, Logan smiled back.  



	8. Chapter Eight

Return to Me (8/8)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
Dear Max,   
  
I am sitting in bed beside you watching you sleep. The sun's just coming up, and   
I can't bear the knowledge that I'll have to leave you soon.  
  
Please don't take this the wrong way. I love you. I will *always* love you. But you   
should be with your family. You've spent your whole life since the escape trying   
to find them. No matter what, I can't be responsible for taking you away from   
them once you've just found them.  
  
I know, I know...it should be your decision. Or at least that's what you would   
say. Looking over, I can practically see the words forming on your beautiful lips.   
And you're right. But I'll take this opportunity to have the upper hand. I want   
nothing for you except happiness, and I think that Zack and Jhondie are the   
ones that will be able to give you that happiness.  
  
So, I'm going to leave you with the lyrics to a song that I once heard. It's called   
"Please Remember", and it's by LeAnne Rimes (Yes, I do actually listen to   
country music.) :  
  
Time.  
Sometimes the time just slips away.  
And you're left with yesterday;  
Left with the memories.  
And I,   
I'll always think of you and smile.  
And be happy for the time  
I had you with me.  
Though we go our separate ways,  
I won't forget,  
So don't forget  
The memories we made.  
  
Please remember.  
Please remember.  
I was there for you and you were there for me.  
Please remember  
Our time together,  
When time was yours and we were wild and free.  
Please remember.  
Please remember me.  
  
Goodbye;  
There's just no sadder word to say.  
And it's sad to walk away   
With just the memories.  
Who's to know what might have been?  
We leave behind  
A life, a time  
We'll never know again.  
  
Please remember.  
Please remember.  
I was there for you and you were there for me.  
Please remember  
Our time together,  
When time was yours and we were wild and free.  
Please remember.  
Please remember me.  
  
Please remember.  
Please remember.  
I was there for you and you were there for me.  
Please remember  
Our time together,  
When time was yours and we were wild and free.  
And remember.  
Please remember me.  
  
And how we laughed,  
And how we smiled,  
And how this world was yours and mine.  
And how our dream was out of reach.  
I stood by you, you stood by me.  
We took each day  
And made it shine.  
We wrote our names across the sky.  
we ran so fast, we ran so free,   
'Cause I had you and you had me.  
Please remember.  
Please remember.  
  
Please remember me, Max. You've given me so much, and I owe you more   
than I will ever be able to repay. God knows I'll never forget you. If you ever   
need me, you know where to find me. I'll be right here in this broken city,   
waiting.  
  
With more love than I can ever possibly hope to express in words,  
  
Logan.  
  
~*~  
  
FIN.  
  
Author's Notes: Woo-hoo!!!!!!! I'm *finished*!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!! You don't know how   
happy that makes me. I hope you all enjoyed it, and a great big thank you to   
everyone who reviewed. There is a follow-up series, I promise, but it may not be   
up for awhile. Until then, "You are the weakest link. Goodbye!"  
  
"What are you doing out here?" "What do you think I'm doing? I'm taking a   
squeeze. I'm potty trained, you know." "Something wrong with the six toilets we   
have at home?" - Dimitri and Sasha, MTV's "Spyder Games".  
  
"I hope you're using protection." "No, I'm fathering little bastards all over town."   
- Dimitri & Sasha. 


End file.
